Somaiya Vidyavihar University has announced the Somaiya Innovation and Impact Festival (SIIF), set to take place on February 21 and 22 at its 60-acre zero-waste campus. Inspired by the collective brilliance of bees, the festival’s theme, “Empowering Communities through Conversations, Collaborations and Creativity,” highlights cooperation and innovation.
Organised by the Research Innovation Incubation Design Laboratory Foundation (riidl Somaiya Vidyavihar) and the Somaiya School of Design, with support from the Government of India and Maharashtra State Innovation Society, SIIF integrates signature events like Maker Mela, Darwin, and Nazariya into a unified platform for impactful innovation. Applications for participation are open until February 10.
The festival will feature prominent speakers, including Shantanu Deshpande, Founder and CEO of Bombay Shaving Company, delivering the keynote address, and Dr Niranjan Hiranandani, Managing Director of the Hiranandani Group, discussing sustainable fashion. Dr Shiva Subramaniam of Biomimicry Compass will mentor the Fablab Hive and present a keynote at the KJSPARC (K J Somaiya College of Physiotherapy) Physiotherapy Conference. Workshops, including calligraphy by Achyut Palav, will offer hands-on creative experiences.
A special hackathon under Dr Subhajit Mukherjee’s mentorship will focus on addressing Mumbai’s water crisis. Thematic “hives” will showcase innovations in sustainable fashion, artificial intelligence, extended reality, wellness, design, and physiotherapy. Key attractions include an XR hackathon led by Parallax Labs’ Krupalu Mehta, the SnapAR experience zone, and the Under 25 Summit supported by Zerodha. The Art Hive will host creative workshops, and a storytelling contest will highlight narratives of innovation.
Chancellor Samir Somaiya emphasised the festival’s mission to foster innovation, collaboration, and impactful solutions. Chief Innovation Catalyst Gaurang Shetty called it a celebration of ideas and collaboration, aiming to build an ecosystem for startups and thought leaders to thrive.
Following the success of previous events like Maker Mela, SIIF 2025 promises to be a transformative event empowering change makers to shape a sustainable future.
